Avalon Cuban Diving Centers in

3rd DIVE TRAVEL SHOW

• WHEN: weekend from the 5 to the 6 of march 2011.
• WHERE: Recinto Ferial de la Casa de Campo, Pabellón de convenciones (Madrid), 2.000 m2
• CONGRESS: Marine ecosystems and man.
• FOLLOW US: www.divetravelshow.com

The Jardines de la Reina archipelago is located 60 miles south off the central coast of Cuba. It is a coral reef close to 75 miles long, which makes it the third longest in the World. This territory is structured by 250 virgin Islands, surrounded by impassable mangrove trees. Crocodiles, turtles, iguanas and (jutías) are the main residents of the area. Jardines de la Reina was declared a National Park in 1996 and since then has been declared a protected ecological reserve. 

Commercial fishing is prohibited in this area. The underwater world is beautiful and diverse. Marine walls are covered in sponges and coral. Beginning in shallow waters, the coral reefs serve as a residence to the countless diverse species of fish, offering them a natural shelter and protection. 

What best characterizes the dives in Jardines de la Reina is the encounter with different varieties of sharks –the silky shark ,which is a fundamental part of the environment, provides humans the possibility of approaching them, feed them, and touch them. 
Other species are Caribbean reef sharks, Lemon sharks, Hammer sharks and the Great    Whale Shark.

Avalon is the only company, in this ecological area, allowed to organize diving trips for up to 500 divers per year. Up today, 80 dive spots have been arranged which are well protected by the wind and the water currents.

In Jardines de la Reina, dives are safe from the strong marine currents. Water temperature is between 26 and 29 degrees. Visibility is more than 30 meters. There is a wide variety of fish and coral. Sharks are found in almost all dives, close to channels, due to the abundance of fish in those areas. At the end of the diving week in Jardines de la Reina, the divers change their perspective on the sharks as they discovery how intelligent these animals are and they enjoy sharing dives with them.